The First Casualties: Chpt 20: The Liberation of Ilia
by dpak213
Summary: Everyone has that moment when they lose a character halfway through a mission and is faced with the dilemma: continue without the character, or restart the mission because the character's worth restarting the mission for. So when the worst of worst scenarios came halfway through a chapter...


Roy saw that Lilina had stopped walking.

"Lilina!" Roy cried. "What's the matter?"

At that moment, Roy saw a great burst of wind shoot past his head, barely missing him.

Drawing his blade in alarm, Roy saw that Lilina had turned around.

"Lilina!" Roy cried, raising his hands in alarm. "Lilina, it's me, Roy!"

Bewildered at his friend's action, Roy saw that his friend's eyes had turned a dark red.

"Roy!"

Turning, Roy saw Rutger running towards his direction, waving his hands frantically.

"Get out of there!" Rutger cried, "She's under the Berserk spell!"

Roy felt a chill run down his spine. He remembered that Cecilia had warned him about the Berserk spell.

"They will attack friend or foe uncontrollably," Roy remembered, "Until they are healed by a staff or given time to calm down, they will continue to attack until they are cured or dead."

Realizing that Lilina had been affected by some sort of a spell, Roy turned and ran as fast as he could towards Rutger's direction.

Hearing Lilina screaming angrily, Roy felt, for the first time, afraid for his life. He had seen first hand what Lilina's spells could do. He did not wish to be on the receiving end of the spell.

As the two warrior retreated back into the room, Roy saw that the prison door had been opened.

_Oh no,_ Roy thought. _Not now!_

From the prison, Roy saw the red-haired thief, Cath, leading several woman, a few elderly and a few middle-aged, and he felt his heart well with panic.

"Come right along!" Cath said, "Let's go."

"Cath!" Roy cried. "Get back in the room!"

Roy saw the red-haired thief look in surprise towards his direction.

"Why?" Cath asked. "Do you know how long it took to open that door?"

Turning back, Roy saw that Lilina had caught up with them and begun to cast another spell. Realizing that Lilina would unleash a spell directly at the prisoners and at Cath, Roy turned and faced Lilina.

"Lilina!" Roy cried, raising his sword. "Please! Snap out of it!"

When Roy saw that Lilina would not stop, he realized that the spell was directed directly towards him. Feeling his resolve dissolve, Roy lowered his sword as he saw a great burst of air cutting through the room, racing towards him like a wall of sharp blades. In the back of his mind, Roy knew that the wind would instantly cut even the thickest of armor apart in a moment.

In burst of a second, Roy saw a red flash, and he felt himself being tossed back against the wall.

As Roy reoriented himself, he saw that another warrior had stepped in front of him.

Roy felt his heart stop.

"Rutger?" Roy said. "RUTGER!"

Pushing himself onto his hands, Roy saw that the swordmaster was lying very still on the ground. Around Rutger's body, Roy saw a dark liquid pouring onto the ground.

At that moment, Roy heard the sound of hooves galloping into the room. Raising his head, he saw a blond-haired girl carrying a red staff riding into the room, with her staff raised high above her head. As the girl approached Lilina, Roy recognized the girl as Clarine.

"Lilina!" Clarine cried, "Snap out of it!"

As Roy saw Lilina raise her hands, ready to unleash another spell from the aircaliber she carried, the lord saw the girl's eyes slowly return to normal. Roy saw that his friend looked lost and confused, as if she had just woken up.

"Rutger!" Clarine cried.

Roy saw everyone in his party look towards the fallen warrior. He saw Clarine dismount from her horse and drop to the warrior's side, attempting to heal his wounds.

Scrambling up to his feet, Roy ran over to Rutger's side.

As Roy touched the man's hands, he knew that he no staff in the world would be able to heal the man.

"Rutger," Clarine said, "You idiot, wake up!"

Roy saw Clarine crying as she tried in vain to heal the man.

"He's dead," Roy said.

Roy saw the rest of the party had arrived into the room. Looking at his friends' faces, Roy realized that he had given the order to rush into the room.

As Roy left Clarine to wail over Rutger, he began to look for Lilina.

He saw his friend staring at Rutger's body, horrified at what she had done. Around him, Roy could hear the sound of the enemy surrounding their position.

"Everyone!" Roy cried, "We move forward! We will mourn the dead once the castle is captured!"

Reluctantly, Roy saw his party begin to move.

In his heart, Roy felt his heart pounding.

Rutger had been the first among his friends to die in battle.

"Lilina," Roy said.

"I'm a monster!" Lilina said, "You saw what I did. I killed him!"

Roy saw Lilina gazing angrily at her hands. He saw that his friend was looking away from his eyes, not making eye contact with him.

"It's not your fault, Lilina," Roy said, "Even the mightiest of warriors had fallen under the control of the Berserk spell."

Roy saw that Lilina remained silent. Roy continued.

"If anything, it's my fault," Roy said. "I gave the order for us to move forward without the group. If we had moved together, Clarine would have been able to heal you time."

Roy hated seeing his friend angry at herself for something that was beyond her control. Knowing that she was even younger than himself, by two years, he knew that the guilt was eating Lilina up inside.

"I-If I can't control my powers," Lilina said, "Who's to say I won't fall under the Berserk spell again?"

Lilina looked at Roy.

"What if I attack you next?" Lilina whispered. "What will I do then?"  
"It won't happen again," Roy said. "Never again."

Roy saw Lilina sigh and walk up to the tall windows of the castle.

As Roy sat on the throne of the castle, he saw that Lilina was gazing out the tall windows of the cold castle. The others had traveled to the arena to train before they deployed to Bern, and Roy had volunteered to stay behind with Lilina. He felt exhausted from the battle.

As they waited in silence, Roy saw Lilina stand up and begin to leave the room.

"Lilina," Roy said, rising from the throne.

"What?" Lilina replied, turning around.

Roy grasped for what he should say.

"I wouldn't be here without you," Roy said carefully, "You are powerful, probably more than any of us here. We need you."

Feeling his heart burning, Roy quickly finished up speaking.

"A-and I know that in good time, you will save many more of us," Roy said. "Just like your father did."

After a pause, Roy saw Lilina continue to walk out of the room.

Sighing, Roy sat down on the throne of the castle.

He knew that the war was nearing its end.

And he wondered how many more would perish before the fighting was over.


End file.
